Improvement in sewing-machines



.1. s. FLETCHER.

SEWING-MACHINE I Patented Feb. 8, 187B.

firm/mam IJVVENTOR M W M k 8, mm (Y I v mw zttorneyd ".PETERS. FHOTO-UTHOGRAFKER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. FLETCHER, OF APPLETON, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,278, dated February 8, 1876 application filed July 26, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,'JAMEs S.FLETOHER, of Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented cerconsists in the construction, and arrangementof the parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I willnow proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sewing-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the feed-mechanism.- Fig. 3 is a view of the shuttle-carrier, and Fig. 4 is'a side view of the fly-wheel, showing its connection. with the shaft.

A represents the bed-plate of the machine, A and Bis the usual L-s'haped arm or standard thereon, with the head 0 upon its outerend. In hangers E E, upon the under side of the bed-plate, is placed a shaft,'D, running the entire length of the machine. The shaft receives its motion fromv an eccentric formed on the hub of the fly-wheel G, and a pitman t; placed around said eccentric and connecting with a crank-pin on the end of the shaft D. The fly-wheel G is placed loosely on the shaft a that passes horizontally through the upper part of the arm or standard B. a From the side of the fly-wheel G projects a pin, b, which ente'rs a clutch 01 secured on the end of said shaft. This device so times the movement of the shuttle and feed that the machine runs equally well backward or forward, and ma bles inexperienced persons to run the machine readily, and permits the operator to start the machine with the foot without fear of breaking the needle or thread. On the opposite end of the shaft 0. is the ordinary, mechanism for operating the needle-bar I. J represents the take-up, pivoted in the head G back of the needle-bar, and passes'forward through a slot in said bar. spring, j, which at the proper moment presses down the take-up, and when the take-up is down to its lowest point the passage of the spring over the take-up allows the needlebar to continue its downward movement. The recoil of the spring during the ascent. of the needle-bar keeps the take-up down long enough to permit the loop to be caught by the shuttle. The inner end of the take-up is rounded, as shown, and on the same bears a spring, h, which is fastened to the arm or standB. This spring acts as a brake on the take-up, and prevents motion, excepting when the take-up is forced up or down by the needle-bar and spring. K is the-shuttle-race, against which the shuttle M is held by the shuttle-carrier L. This shuttle carrier or driver is formed with an elongated hub, is, placed on the shaft D, and provided at one end with a hole to fit over, a pin, a, projecting from the feed-cam N. The other end of the hub is is provided with exterior screw-threads, and is cut or split longitudinally, as shown in Figs.,1 and 3. A nut, O, is then screwed on this end of the hub, and a spring, m, holds the shuttle-driver up in its place, said spring abutting against a collar, n, on the shaft.

By this means the shuttle can readily be removed from below the table A when the machine is covered with work. It also enables the operator to remove the shuttle-carrier to smooth it if it should be rough, and the nut 0 allows the operator to clamp the shuttledriver firmly to the shaft, if required. 4

P represents the feed-bar, attached to a screw-sleeve, p, which is loosely connected to a post, r, under the table. Through this sleeve passes a screw, R, formed with a shoulder, 31, on its inner end. The feed-cam N is constructed, as shown in Fig. 2, withprojections z z for moving the feed back and forth, one of said projections operating on the shoulder y of the screw, so that by turning said screw the stitch may be lengthened or shortened as desired. The feed, is raised by the cam N and lowered by the spring 8 bearing ontop of the sleeve 10. 7

On the needlebar I is secured a It will be noticed that both the shuttledriver and feed-movement are connected directly to the shaft D, thereby doing away with a great deal of machinery generally used to move the feed-bar and shuttle. It will also be noticed that the feed-bar and shuttle move in the same direction, and that the shuttle passes through the loop when it is traveling from the operator.

To lessen the noise, rubber or other soft substance to is inserted in a recess made in the inner end of the feed-screw R.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the arm B, of the shaft a, passing through the same, the fly-wheel G placed loosely on the end of the shaft, and

provided with the pin b, the clutch d secured on the shaft B, and the connecting-rod or pitman H, and the shaft D, whereby the-shuttle and needle are brought into relative position, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the needle-bar I, provided? with vertical spring f,.the; take-up J, having a cam on its inner end, the head 0, and the spring h, secured to the standard, and

bearing on the cam of the take-up, all substantially as and forthe purposes herein set forth.

3. The combination of the shuttle-carrier L,

withv elongated hub 70, having one end split,

andprovided with exterior screw-threads, the nut O, and spring m, all substantially as set forth. i

4. The combination of the feed P, tube 10, with spring s, regulating-screw R, with shoulder 3 and the cam N, with projections 2, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. I

In testimony that I claim theforegoing I have'hereunto set my hand this 5th day of June, 1875.

JAMES S. FLETCHER. Witnesses:

T. J. FRANKLIN, ARTHUR LEBERMAN. 

